A Black Knight's Tale
by Lady of Gracen
Summary: Can the cold heart of Adhemar, Count of Anjou be melted by Lady Caelyn?
1. Chapter One

Lady Caelyn Gilman, daughter of Lord Andrew Gilman watched as the mighty Count Adhemar of Anjou lay on the bed in the guest room of her father's home in Norfolk. Maids scurried about the room picking up his discarded dusty clothing and the bloodied linens used on his injuries. Sir William Thatcher, newly knighted by Edward, had finally knocked the mighty Adhemar of his horse The Black Prince of Wales. Caelyn had not been allowed to attend the tournament but servants of the estate had gone with her father and relayed the information back to her. "He had a hollow coronal at the end of the lance my lady." Old Chancy told her as she watched him rub down one of the many horses in her father's stable. "Inside the coronal was a steel point which caught Sir William in the shoulder." Caelyn listened as Old Chancy brushed out the black main of Siren's Song, her father's horse. "Served him right to be tossed off his horse like he was." Old Chancy said as he straitened his back up. "God it's not fun getting old." he heard his back creak as he walked over to where Caelyn leaned against the wooden wall feeding Siren pieces of apple. "But why did my father have to bring the bastard here?" Caelyn scratched the horse's nose. "Lady Caelyn!" Old Chancy balked. "Such language out of your mouth! Your dear mother, God rest her soul, would be spinning in her grave if she could hear you." Caelyn laughed. "Chancy, you've heard me say much worse." she kissed his cheek affectionately. "Aye, that I have." he shook his head. "That I have. But the reason to bringing Count Edema here is simple. His father, the first Count of Anjou was your father's best friend. They were like brothers. There was even talk of Count Edema being married to you." "To ME!" Caelyn shrieked. Old Chancy laughed, as Capelin's face grew red with anger. "Your mother took care of that, don't you fret about a thing. She told your father that you would marry for love, not out of duty or obligation." Old Chancy looked at Caelyn as mention of her mother brought sadness to her eyes. "Take care Caelyn." Old Chancy called Caelyn by her given name when no one else was around. Old Chancy had been with her father since he was a boy. "Your mother was promised to a man in an arranged marriage and when she met your father and fell in love with him, she wanted her daughter to know what love, true love, would be like. Your father being a sensible man who would do anything to please your mother agreed." "But then how was I almost betrothed to Count Adhemar?" "Ah..." Old Chancy sat down and took a sip from the flask at his hip. "Count Adhemar's mother was much like your own and when the discussion between your father and the Count's father turned to arranged marriages, both women stood up for their children." "Well I'll light a candle for the wisdom of those two women. From what I've seen and heard, Edema is not a pleasant man. Even Lady Jocelyn found him to be cold and cynical." Caelyn remembered the conversations of her maid. Edema could feel the sun on his body. He carefully opened his eyes. His head felt like there was a blacksmith inside of it pounding out Armour for an entire regiment. He blinked his eyes a few times and when his vision adjusted, he began to remember where he was. After William had forced him from his horse he had taken a hard fall. So hard that he had only snatches of memory of Lord Andrew taking him to Gilman Hall in Norfolk. Struggling to sit up, his body protested with aches and pains that Adhemar had not realized he had. Settling back into his pillow, he gingerly lifted his arm and touched his head. A wide linen bandage was wrapped around his head. Looking down at his body covered to the waist by a sheet, Adhemar noticed another set of linen bandages wrapped around his torso. Not seeing any blood staining the bandages was a good sign. The call of nature was tugging at Adhemar. He took a deep breath and slowly began to lift his upper body off the bed. "I can do this." he said through gritted teeth and after a few false starts he was able to sit up in the bed and began to swing his feet off the side of the bed. He reached out for a wooden chair next to his bed and used it for leverage to stand. Unfortunately the positioning of the chair did not offer any leverage and Adhemar found himself crashing naked to the floor. Caelyn happened to be walking by Adhemar's room when she heard a crash inside. Fearing the worst she threw the door open to find Adhemar struggling to get up from the floor. "Good God, what did you do?" she rushed over to him only to notice at the last minute his state of undress. "Woman shut your vile mouth and help me to stand." he shouted at Caelyn. "I need to use the privy." Caelyn bit her lip to avoid turning on her heal and leave the dreadful man sitting naked as the day he was born on the floor. She slipped her shoulder under his arm and used her body as leverage to help him stand. Adhemar leaned heavily on Caelyn as she helped him into the private privy in his room. He unceremoniously slammed the door in her face. Caelyn saw red as she clenched and unclenched her fingers while she listened to him noisily relieve himself. To release some of her anger, she began to rearrange his bed sheets and went to the door to call down for some food for the cantankerous count. She was just about finished rearranging the pillows when the door to the privy opened. "Do you require help?" Caelyn asked as nicely as she could manage. Adhemar only grunted as he carefully made his way back to the bed. Caelyn averted her eyes as he settled himself back into bed, but not before taking a quick peak at his masculine form. She had only seen the young boys who work for Old Chauncy shirtless when they swim in the lake. But they were young and skinny. Here was a man in every sense of the word. She could not help but notice the sprinkling of dark hair that covered his chest. It disappeared under the bandages and then reappeared in fine line that spread out again over his stomach. She was still looking covertly at his stomach when his voice brought her back to reality. "Does Lord Andrew let all of his female servants dress like boys?" Adhemar commented on Caelyn's choice of boy's leggings, boots and a loose cinnamon colored boys shirt that hung down to the tops of her thighs. He couldn't help but notice that the color of the shirt brought out her golden eyes. Caelyn realized that Adhemar didn't know who she was. They hadn't seen each other since they were children. She used his lack of recognition to her advantage. "Lord Andrew is quite liberal when it comes to how we dress." "The man is a fool. Women were not meant to wear men's dress." he snapped at her. "And I suppose you think they shouldn't do anything but sew, look pretty and be subservient to their husbands." "Of course they should. Their husbands are their betters." he snapped, obviously in pain as he leaned back into the pillows. "Bring me some wine." he closed his eyes and settled his arm across his head. Despite the muscular body that she could see above the sheets and the black curls that were now standing helter skelter on his head and the amazing green eyes, Caelyn wanted to take the pillow from behind his head and smother the arrogance right out of him. She clenched her fists and counted to ten while she poured some mulled cider into a cup and picked up the herb mix the doctor had given to help with Adhemar's headaches that would no doubt happen from the fall. She stood next to the bed and held the cup out to him. Adhemar took one sip and almost choked. "What in God's name is this concoction?" he choked on it. "It's mulled cider mixed with herbs that the doctor gave us to help with your head. He said you must drink it twice a day." "It's vile." he protested. "Drink it on your own or I will pinch your nose and force it down your throat." Adhemar looked at Caelyn. No woman, not even his mother, had ever spoken to him like that. When he didn't bring the cup to his lips Caelyn took a step closer and reached out. "Don't even think it." he growled at her and drank down the entire cup. "Wine now." "No. You may have cider or water. No wine until your stop taking the herbs. You will get ill." "WINE." he barked again. Caelyn grabbed the cup from him and walked back to the table next to the fireplace where a decanter of wine sat. She filled the cup and brought it back to him. "Leave now." he barked at her. Caelyn curtseyed and hoped that his entire stomach soon came up and he couldn't make it to the bathroom. 


	2. Chapter Two

Caelyn left the house and started down to the stables. She couldn't believe what an insufferable pig Adhemar was. "Men are our betters." she mumbled as she walked down the path. "Probably urinates all over the privy and doesn't bother to clean up after himself." she continued to mumble until she came to the paddock where her horse was kept. Sephora was a chestnut Arabian mare. Her father had given it to her as a birthday present on her 20th year. "Hello my pretty girl." Caelyn held out a carrot for Sephora as she ran her hands over the white markings on Sephora's snout. "Think we can manage a little ride today?" Caelyn put her foot in the stirrup and swung up into the saddle and walked Sephora around the paddock for a few minutes. "Planning on using the quintain today for practice?" Caelyn looked down to where Old Chancy was sitting on a bale of hay. "That obvious eh?" she smiled at her old friend. "I heard you were in to see Count Adhemar." he got up off his seat and walked over to give Sephora the rest of the apple he had been eating. "News travels fast in this house." she muttered. "Man is an insufferable jerk." Old Chancy smiled. "So you'll be needing the quintain to take out some of the anger. Too bad I don't have an image of his face so you could aim for it." he patted Sephora's flank as he called out to one of the stable hands to set up the practice target. Caelyn spent the next few hours practicing in the lists behind her father's stables. Since she was old enough to ride, her father indulged her fascination with jousting. He often took her when she was a child to the many tournaments in England. Soon watching wasn't enough for her; she wanted to be out on the field with a lance in her hand. Her father would laugh telling her that she was not but a girl and girls did not lance. Soon he was eating his words. Lord Andrew had been in Paris on business and returned home early. He heard the sounds of someone practicing in the lists. He stood at the railings around the lists and watched as Old Chancy gave instruction to one of the pages. "The lad is good." Lord Andrew came over to speak to Old Chancy. "The lad?" "Yes, the one on the horse up there." Lord Andrew chuckled "Is your vision going now Chancy?" Old Chancy didn't get the chance to answer; horse and rider approached the two men. "Well done son. Well done." Lord Andrew said to the rider. "Thank you father." Lord Andrew watched in shock as the rider removed his helmet and a tumble of auburn hair fell out and revealed his daughter. From that moment on, Lord Andrew allowed his daughter to practice jousting as long as there were no guests in the home. Today, Caelyn broke that rule. Lord Andrew sat at the desk in his study and looked back at the papers in front of him. For months now, the suspicions he harbored had been growing. Now they were no longer suspicions, they were full reality. He could not believe this was happening. He had trusted her; he even convinced himself that he loved her. "Excuse me Lord Andrew." The butler came into the room. "Lady Claire has arrived from London." "Thank you James." He answered distractedly. "Shall I set up tea?" "That would be fine. Would you see if Count Adhemar is feeling well enough to join us." "Yes sir." James bowed and left the room. Sir Andrew closed the leather book with the papers carefully tucked inside and put them in a cubbyhole behind a painting. Adhemar tucked his white linen shirt into his pants and checked his reflection in the mirror. He still wore bandages around his torso where the armor had cut into his flesh. There would be a scar on his forehead, but what was one more scar. Long ago he had stopped counting them. The sound of footsteps stopping in front of his door made him wonder if it was the young maiden who had given him that vile mixture several days ago. He found her visage haunting his dreams at night causing him to wake up with his body needing a relief he hadn't had in a long time. He walked to the door in his bare feet and flung it open surprising the exact person he was looking for. Eavesdropping?" Adhemar folded his arms and leaned against the doorframe. "Um, er...no..." Caelyn stammered and looked down at his feet, which were barefoot and crossed at the ankles. Was it possible for men to have handsome feet she wondered as she stared at his? "Something wrong with my feet?" he prodded. "No, not at all." she said rather quickly and realized how it sounded. "I mean no sir." she corrected herself. "I see Lord Andrew is still allowing you dress as a boy." "No one LETS me dress as a boy. I choose to do so." she put her hands on her hips. "You don't like to dress as a woman then?" his eyes wandered over her body stopping momentarily on her chest. Caelyn felt uncomfortable under his gaze and folded her arms across her chest not realizing that only emphasized her chest instead of hiding it. Adhemar tried to hide an amused grin. "I prefer my women to suit my needs and dress like a woman." he cocked an eyebrow and watched as her face turned red and anger grew in her eyes. "Well then." she tried not to spit her words out at him, "I guess I could never suit your needs then Count Adhemar." she curtsied and turned away from him. Adhemar watched her figure retreat down the hallway. Her hair was in a thick plait that hung down her back and little curls escaping their confines here and there. His eyes were focused on her bottom as she turned the corner. 


	3. Chapter Three

Lady Claire dabbed the glass stopper from her perfume bottle into the valley between her breasts while her maid finished winding jet-black hair into a complicated series of coils on top of her head. No matter how she tried, she would never have the coveted curls that her wretched stepdaughter had. When Claire married Andrew it had been under the guise that she would be a good mother influence on Lady Caelyn. If Claire had her way, Caelyn would have been sent off to the convent to have an education leaving Andrew to attend to his beloved country estate while Claire had the wealth of his London home and all the lovers she could spare. But Andrew would not send Caelyn away. The world revolved around that girl for him. Claire grew more and more to resent her red headed stepchild as a reminder of the plans she could not continue. Returning for her scheduled visit to Norfolk had brought an unexpected surprise. Count Adhemar of Anjou was their guest. A sly grin spread across her face thinking of the darkly handsome man. What a coup it would be bed him under her husband's roof. She readjusted her bountiful chest to the point of being obscene in her dark violet dress. Tonight her bed would not be lonely. Caelyn stripped her clothing off and stepped into the marble tub in her privy. Her father had an architect design a system where once the water was no longer in need for a bath all one had to do was pull out the marble stopper and the water rushed down a gutter outside the room and down the side of the house. Caelyn's maid had poured some lilac scented oils into water and the scent filled the room as Caelyn stepped into the tub. She closed her eyes and let her muscles relax from a morning of riding. Behind her closed eyes another set of eyes began to haunt her Adhemar's eyes. Her eyes snapped open and she sat up. "I'm sorry m'lady, I didn't mean to startle you." her maid Gwen had entered the bath. Caelyn settled back into the tub letting her hair hang over the edge so Gwen could begin to wash it. "You didn't startle me Gwen, I guess I startled myself." Gwen poured a pitcher of water over Caelyn's hair and began to rub lilac scented soap into the wet locks and lather it up. "How would you like to wear your hair for dinner?" Gwen asked. "Which way would aggravate my stepmother the most?" Caelyn giggled with Gwen. "Well if you wanted to truly aggravate Lady Claire, then I say leave most of it down. You know how she covets those curls of yours." Gwen said with a conspirator sigh remembering the time Claire had almost succeeded in cutting all of those glorious red/gold curls off "Well then, let's let it curl shall we?" Caelyn said as she stepped out of the tub and wrapped a linen towel around her body. "And I've laid out your green dress. Lady Claire is wearing violet." Gwen told her as Caelyn sat down at her dressing table and began to towel dry her hair. Caelyn sat as Gwen began to arrange the riotous curls down her back. Now not only would she have to suffer sitting with Adhemar through dinner she would have to suffer her stepmother as well. Caelyn knew that Claire was only pleasant to her while her father was around. The few times they were alone she did her best to cut Caelyn to the core. She shuddered at some of the things that Claire had submitted her to. Adhemar got momentarily lost as he tried to make his way down to the parlor. He heard a woman's voice and wondered if it be that bedeviling red head. He paused momentarily as the scent of lilacs invaded his senses. "Ah Count Adhemar." Lady Claire smiled seductively as she crossed the parlor extending her hand to him. Adhemar looked at Claire and felt his body stir in only a way that a woman such as Lady Claire could make a man's body react. He took her hand and kissed it as she curtsied. "How nice to finally make your acquaintance. Your reputation precedes you." she batted her eyelashes at him. "And you yours." he said briefly. "Adhemar, here you are." Lord Andrew bellowed as he entered the parlor. "Good to see you up and about." Claire snapped open her fan and made a small sound as her husband entered the room and interrupted them. Thee two men embarrassed briefly and the separated. Andrew stepped back, keeping his arms on Adhemar's shoulders and looked him over. "How are you feeling? Things healing well?" "Yes sir they are. Just some soreness in the ribs when I move too much." "Then I take it you'll be leaving us soon?" Claire moved next to Adhemar and put her hand on his arm. "You can't leave so soon, we've only just met." "I am sorry m'lady but as soon as I can. I have things to attend to back home." he said "And of course there is always the tournaments." "Surely you can't be ready to go back to that dreadful sport after what happened to you." Claire pouted. "As you can see," Andrew smiled, "My wife is not fond of the tournaments." Adhemar looked at Lady Claire and wondered if Lord Andrew was aware of the rumors that he often heard among the knight who jousted. Lady Claire stepped up to the men. "I think we should go into dinner." "Where is Caelyn?" Andrew looked around the room. "Caelyn?" Adhemar questioned. "Andrew's daughter who will be late for her own wedding." Claire looped her hand through Adhemar's arm; "That's if she could find a man to deal with her.... quirks." The three went into the dining room and took their places at the square wooden table that Andrew preferred over the long formal table. "Andrew, we should be at the formal dining table. I'm sure Count Adhemar would prefer that one. The servants were bringing out the first course when Caelyn entered the hall. Adhemar felt everything else in the room go out of focus except for the beautiful creature standing in the entranceway. Her copper hued hair touched with gold fell in a cascade of curls over her shoulders with the front pulled back and held in place by a gold clip with pearls and emeralds adorning it. She wore a dress of green silk with a sheer insert of gold in the front that stretched down between her breasts. The same sheer material was used on the sleeves, which were fitted to her well-toned arms and flared out at the wrist. "It's about time you joined us Caelyn, we were about to start without you." Lady Claire's terse comment brought Adhemar out of his perusal of her body and he stood up. "My apologies Mother." Caelyn said the last word with a modicum of sarcasm. "What kept you this evening daughter." Andrew pulled the chair out for his daughter and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I'm sure she was changing out of those ridiculous clothes she insists...." "No matter." Andrew cut his wife off drawing angry looks from her; "she is here now and we can eat." Andrew sat back down. "Adhemar, it's been a long time since you've seen Caelyn." Caelyn kept her vision focused on the carafe of wine that sat on the table between she and Adhemar. She dragged her eyes from the ruby colored liquid up until she was looking at him straight in the eye. A shock ran from her heart down to her stomach at the intensity that he was looking at her. She feared he would give her small secret away. "Well if a long time means since earlier this evening, then yes it has been." Adhemar raised his glass; "But I must say that I enjoy this matter of dress much better." Caelyn cocked an eyebrow and raised her glass in mock salute while Claire's jealousy began to gnaw in her stomach. Through out dinner, Lady Claire spoke at length of the social scene in London. Caelyn looked at her father and saw that he was only half listening while Adhemar seemed to be trying to follow along. "You'll have to forgive me Lady Claire, but I have long been out of the social arena in London. My duties to the King have kept me quite busy." "Oh that is correct. It was said that Prince Edward sent you back to the front lines after you refused go up against him in a joust." Claire leaned forward on one arm, her chin propped in her hand. Caelyn saw that Adhemar's jaw clenched at her words. "I did not want to harm a royal Lady Claire." he said tersely. "Well apparently Sir William Thatcher thought differently." she wave her hand off as if dismissing what Adhemar said. "Well Sir William took a great chance and obviously it paid off well for him." Adhemar answered." You've been quiet Lady Caelyn. Are you feeling alright?" Adhemar leaned back in his chair and changed the subject. Caelyn put her goblet of wine down and folded her hands on the table and leaned forward. "I'm fine Count Adhemar. I was just listening to my mother recounting all the news of London." Claire could have thrown a glass of water at her stepdaughter. "There is no need for sarcasm young lady. If you have nothing nice to add to the dinner conversation, then you can remove yourself from the table." Caelyn stood up and placed her napkin on the table. "Father, Count Adhemar." she nodded in each of their directions and then left with a silent nod to her stepmother. She could hear her stepmother voicing her disgust in Caelyn's actions as she left the dining room. Caelyn knew the speech by chapter and verse. "Caelyn will never find a husband." "Caelyn is rude and irreprehensible" on and on Claire would go. Ever since Claire married Caelyn's father she was constantly reminded of how Caelyn would never be a "true" Lady and should just throw herself on the mercy of the convents. The only happiness that Caelyn had was when Claire was off spending the season in London for when she came back to Norfolk, even the servant's smiles would disappear at the demands that were put on them. Caelyn left the house by way of the kitchen and could smell the apple and raisin tarts that the cook made for dessert. They were her favorites. "Cow will probably eat hers and mine too." Caelyn kicked at a stick as she walked out into the one place that still belonged to her mother, the garden. 


	4. Chapter Four

As Adhemar sat at the table and ate, he listened to Lady Claire prattle on about the ton in London. He noticed that Caelyn was quiet as her stepmother discussed things she felt important. What Adhemar wanted to hear was the sound of Caelyn's voice. He felt drawn to it. Even when she was dressed in boys clothing and he did not know who she was, her voice intrigued him. She did not cower when he yelled at her; instead she stood up to him. It became apparent to him that Lady Claire was flirting with him and he was outraged that not only was she married but also she was doing it in front of her own husband. Adhemar was far from a saint, he had bedded a married woman or two in his past, but Claire was not for him. As beautiful as she may be, the price of sleeping with her was too high for him to pay. Lord Andrew had been his father's best friend and had taken him in when he was hurt. No, he would not do anything to be disloyal to Lord Andrew. If anything, he owed him for his kindness. Besides, right now he would rather find out where Lady Caelyn had wandered off. Caelyn stirred feelings in him that he hadn't felt in a long time. But she was not someone who he could ever consider for a wife. He knew at some time he must find a docile woman to provide him with an heir, but he would not allow any woman of his to dress like a man and practice jousting. "A woman of his." he caught himself making that statement in his head in context with Caelyn and shook his head. "No? You would not like to adjourn to the parlor to play cards?" Lady Claire looked crestfallen. "I'm sorry." Adhemar realized what had happened. "I was lost in a thought." Lord Andrew cleared his throat and gave Adhemar the out he needed. "Darling I am sorry but I have some business to discuss with Adhemar and we will take our brandy in my study." he got up and went over to Claire's chair pulling it back for her to get up. "Besides I'm sure you are tired after your long journey." Lady Claire looked at her husband and smiled. "Of course my husband." she placed a kiss on his cheek. "I will see you both in the morning." "Come sit down Adhemar." Lord Andrew pointed to a high back chair near the fireplace. "Brandy?" "Yes please." Adhemar sat down in the leather chair. He gazed up at the mantle and saw a miniature of Caelyn. Whomever painted it captured the golden highlights of her red hair perfectly as well as the gold flecks in her green eyes. Feeling a slight tightening in his trousers, he shifted in his seat and tugged at his coat to hide what he didn't want to have to explain. Andrew returned from behind his desk with two snifters of brandy and a leather envelope. He handed the envelope to Adhemar. "Are you familiar with Thomas Berg?" Adhemar took the dark brown envelope and untied its side. "He's the solicitor who handled my father's estate."  
  
Andrew nodded his head as he sat back down. "Thomas, your father and I grew up and went to school together. He is also my solicitor." He watched as Adhemar took the papers out of the envelope. "Tell me what you think of those." Adhemar was silent as he perused the papers. After a few minutes he looked up at Andrew. "Well I'd say that someone was stealing money from your accounts. Granted it's only a little at a time, but it is disappearing." He said of one of the papers. "And these papers here are forgeries. Good ones, but still, they are forgeries. Do you have any idea as to what is going on?" Andrew drained his brandy snifter and set it back down. "Claire." Adhemar blinked. "Lady Claire?" "Yes. It is not her alone I have found out." Andrew rose from his chair and walked over to the windows overlooking the garden. He saw Caelyn sitting next to the fountain. His heart ached when he thought of the things he had found out. He had done a lot of thinking and he needed to take action. His daughter would be angry, but it was the only thing he could do and in time she would come to know he did what was best for her. 


	5. Chapter Five

Adhemar left Andrews study having discussed the best course of action to take. He wasn't all that sure that it was necessary to go to such lengths. He asked for the night to think it over. After spending some time wandering around the stables checking on his horse, he found himself nearing a small garden behind the house. He heard Claire's voice clearly. "How dare you speak to me like that in front of Count Adhemar!" Claire began to pace back in forth in front of Caelyn. "You embarrassed me in front of him. Do you have any idea what a man like Count Adhemar is like? No..." she leaned down and grinned in Caelyn's face. "How could you know? If you father had listened to me, you'd be off at the convent. But he would never listen to me where you were concerned." "Thank God for that." Claire struck out with the fan and hit Caelyn on the arm. Adhemar swore under his breath as he watched from his shadowy hiding place. "You insolent little bitch." Claire spat. "You've always thought that you were better than me didn't you? What do you think that your father would make a match between you and Count Adhemar? Do you think he'd want a little bit of nothing like you?" "I think my father would like to see me happy and if a match with Adhemar was it than he would see too it." Caelyn couldn't stop herself from saying that even though she knew that Adhemar could hear every word. Claire towered over Caelyn when she stepped closer. "On such casual terms with the Count are we now?" Claire walked around her stepdaughter; "Is that the reason for your private visits with him? I've heard that no one has been present when you've gone in to CARE for him." Adhemar was seething as he listened to the implications that Lady Claire was making. "Nothing inappropriate has gone on between Adhemar and myself." "Considering that you find it appropriate to wear boys clothes and joust, I'd say your meaning of appropriate and mine are quite different." Lady Claire stopped in front of Caelyn and placed the tip of her fan under Caelyn's chin tipping it up to look at her. "Maybe we need to find out if your virtue is still intact? Do I need to have the old woman come and see you?" she smiled evilly. Caelyn felt a shudder of fear run down her spine remembering what the woman had done to her before when she was in London and Claire suspected her of having a dalliance with a guest who was visiting." "Yes I think that I'll arrange for that. Let's just see how innocent your visits with Adhemar were." "Lady Claire, I don't think that will be needed." Adhemar stepped out from his hiding place causing Claire to jump at the sound of his voice. Adhemar stepped over to where the two women were standing and watched Claire's eyes turn from one to the other. "I see the little witch has worked her spell on you." She seethed. "Lady Claire, I think you should be very careful of the words that you choose. Lady Caelyn's virtue is quite safe. It has been and will continue to be where I am concerned." Caelyn looked quickly at Adhemar not understanding the meaning of his words. "How dare you speak to me as such? I am the.." "How DARE you speak to me in such a manner." Caelyn jumped at the anger in his voice. "So you were discussing a marriage contract with my husband earlier." Claire questioned with suspicion growing in her eyes. Adhemar knew that he had to tread carefully now. "We were actually discussing a marriage contract. One that was made when I was young." He began. Caelyn's eyes began to grow wide knowing where this was headed and started to say something. Adhemar took Caelyn's hand and look her in the eyes trying to get her to go along with him. "For you see Lady Claire." He continued as he brought Caelyn's hand to his mouth and kissed it gently. "My father and Lord Andrew deemed that Caelyn and I would join our families together when Caelyn was of age." "She has been of age for over a year now...what took you so long to come claim your bride?" she said mockingly. "Ah, for that I owe an apology to my bride to be." He turned to face Caelyn giving her another warning look. "For I was busy protecting the King's holdings. I was on my way to see her when my jousting got the better of me. Lucky for both of us, her father was at the tournament and brought me here." Caelyn knew that she must say or do something now to convince Claire that this was legitimate. She smiled at Adhemar and brought his hand to her mouth repeating the kiss he gave her. "I am so glad that you and my father have worked the arrangements out." She told Adhemar. "When will we be wed?" she asked thinking two can play this game. "You will be wed in one weeks time. When Adhemar is fully healed." Adhemar, Caelyn and Claire turned to see Andrew walking down the pathway from the house. "I take it you find my dowry to your liking Adhemar?" Andrew stepped in front of him and asked. "I find it to my liking." Adhemar answered with a short nod. "Do I get any say in this?" Caelyn asked believing this was not a play being put on for her stepmothers benefit. "You are going to marry Caelyn to Adhemar?" Lady Claire asked surprised. Andrew turned to his wife. "Yes I am. I will give them Norfolk to use and I will return to live in London full time with you." Claire's eyes widened with shock that she tried to suppress. "You will give them Norfolk? You love it here. You hate the city." Andrew laced his wife's hand through his arm. "Nay wife, I have been neglect in my city home and with you." he explained as he started to lead her back into the house. When they were safely out of site Caelyn forcibly dropped Adhemar's hand and stepped up to him with her hands fisted on her hips and eyes on fire. "If you think I will marry you. You must have hit your head harder than I thought when you fell." she told him. Adhemar watched how Caelyn's eyes lit up when she was angry. He found himself wondering if they lit up when she was passionate. He could smell the fragrance of lilacs that she must have used in her hair. He fought the urge to reach down and taste her full mouth. He had no intention of accepting Lord Andrew's offer. Now he was bound to not only help Andrew out, but to marry his daughter. "No answer from the Mighty Count?" she mocked. "Nothing of any consequence." He turned and sat down on a stone bench. He watched her chest flush with anger as he picked up a fallen leave and twirl it between his thumb and forefinger. "You plan on going through with this don't you?" she seethed. "Aye, we will be married in a weeks time and I will escort you to my home. After that I have some business to take care of while you settle yourself in my country estate." "You are going to abandon me there?" she asked incredulously. "Your father has agreed to let me hire your maid Gwen. She will be leaving shortly after the wedding ceremony and will meet us at my home after we have a brief honeymoon." Caelyn snorted. "How kind of you. Will I be allowed to take my horse with me?" "Yes. Sephora is a fine mare and will mate fine with my stud." "You plan on turning her into a brood mare?" Adhemar stood up and towered over Caelyn. He moved closer. She could see the glint of his eyes, she could feel the intensity of his gave and found herself helpless to step away. "No wife of mine will be allowed to joust and wear men's clothing. You will not need your horse to ride then so yes I will breed Sephora with my horse. They will make a fine champion." "Do you plan on treating me the same way that you treat my horse?" Adhemar noticed that Caelyn's breathing had become faster. He traced the side of her face with his finger. Caelyn thought it was the coldness of the ground that had shot through her body and made her nipples tighten and her body begin to shiver. "No Caelyn." he whispered as he tipped his head down closer to hers. "I will treat you much better than that. You will find out mating to be very pleasurable." his hand cupped her chin. The gentle warmth of his touch turned her protests to naught. Caelyn was shocked and at the same time excited by his words, which were dark and seductive. He eased her back against the tree and she found her breasts against his chest, his thumb moving across her chin in a touch that threatened to melt her very bones. Something she had never felt before rose through her body when Adhemar's mouth closed over hers. His free arm pulled her body close into his, his lips cajoling her, his grip firm but not rough. Caelyn felt her hands slide up the wool of his jacket and settle just below the curls on the back of his neck. His hand moved from her chin to her nape, tangling in the curls, as he seemed determined to deepen their kiss. Caelyn parted her lips to him without intending to do so. His tongue slipped between her teeth as he made a low growl of satisfaction. She felt the thunder of his pulse when her hand moved to his neck and his hardness pressed into him. She thrilled at the response that she could elicit from him. Adhemar pulled back from the kiss and stepped away. He looked at her kiss-swollen lips and dazed eyes. If he did not stop now, he would have to marry her on the morrow and that was not his intention. "Good night my bride to be." he kissed her quickly and left Caelyn standing there against the tree confused and excited. 


End file.
